


A Skele-ton of Tricks and Treats

by keelywolfe



Series: by any other name [86]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Fluff, M/M, Prejudice Against Monsters (Undertale), Spicyhoney - Freeform, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Trick or Treating, Underfell Papyrus (Undertale), Underswap Papyrus (Undertale), Undertale Monsters on the Surface, papcest - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 16:02:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21256007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keelywolfe/pseuds/keelywolfe
Summary: It’s Halloween and Stretch is playing chaperone for the neighborhood kiddos....help?





	A Skele-ton of Tricks and Treats

* * *

If Stretch had any complaints about his less than traditional years of schooling, they were all canceled out by the simple fact that he’d never had to ride a school bus.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, wincing at they hit yet another bump that the shocks completely failed to absorb. Less shocks and more like vaguely startleds at this point, and they sure as hell weren’t keeping any of it to themselves. 

The seats were their own nightmare and yeah, okay, it was a fair guess that there weren’t many school grade kids at his height. Which was a damn good thing because the only way Stretch fit was cramming in sideways and letting his legs dangle out into the aisle. 

When he’d agreed to chaperone this trip into Ebott, he’d kinda thought his years of bus riding would serve him well here. Not so much; the city buses weren’t first class or anything and he was still waiting on a steward to offer to fluff his pillow, but at least on those he wasn’t worried about knocking himself out with his own knees.

But eh, all of that was a me-problem. A glance back into the bus showed nothing but the excited faces of ghosts and ghoulies, along with maybe a few characters from Fortnight.

The parents that came along had a dash of apprehension thrown in to their excitement. Not that Stretch blamed ‘em. Last year they’d planned to take the kiddos into Ebott and after the fire at the Beanery, that little jaunt was canceled. The kids still got in their trick or treats in New New Home, but they’d been pretty damn disappointed to miss their chance at showing off their costumes to an all new audience.

This year, Edge stepped in to help with the planning, started laying in the foundation way back in the summertime. Thinking about it made Stretch smile a little, cause wasn’t that his baby through and through? Busy as he was, he’d helped the school administrators connect with their local Ebott counterparts to introduce Monster kids to Human ones. They’d all had assemblies together in both Ebott and New New Home and it must’ve gone okay, because they’d started planning this whole ‘trunk or treat’ event back at the beginning of the month. Knowing Edge, he’d gone over all of their proposals with a fine-tooth comb and then checked it again, just in case it changed when he wasn’t looking.

Couldn’t really blame anyone for being paranoid about this one. They needed everything to go smoothly on both sides, for plenty of reasons.

Him playing chaperone to the kids who came over for his weekend experiments was a little unexpected, and that was the truth. Stretch wasn’t exactly convinced it was the best idea considering a lot of people probably assumed he needed constant adult supervision himself, his bro included. But the kiddos were excited and two of them had asked for him to paint their faces as skeletons again. Like he could say no to that?

His own costume was Jack Skellington, the same one Edge gave him last year. Damn shame that he hadn’t really worn it since then; his argument that Jack Skellington existed 365 and therefore was perfectly appropriate for grocery shopping didn’t go far with Edge and sitting around the house in it only meant he got left behind.

Spoilsport.

Another bump in the road almost sent Stretch to the floor. He managed to catch himself, settling back on the hard cushion masquerading as a seat, and wondered ruefully how Edge was doing with his ride.

Edge was bringing in his group from the Y for the event and Stretch wasn’t gonna lie, he was a little nervous about meeting them. Edge didn’t really offer to bring him along on Wednesdays and Stretch wasn’t sure why that was, but it also wasn’t a question Stretch really wanted answered. Could be a hundred different reasons, really. Humans could be weird about what they saw as same-sex relationships, or maybe Edge was fussed over his HP. Maybe there was paperwork and shit they’d have to do for him to be allowed and Edge hadn’t gotten around to it.

<s>Maybe Edge thought they wouldn’t like him.</s>

Whatever, he was gonna meet them today. He’d even made candy bags like last year to add in to the rest of the treats, so all the kids would be plenty sugared up by the end of the night. Kids liked candy, they’d probably like the people who gave it to them too, right?

The bus jolted to a stop with enough force that a loud chorus of yelps and groans went around. By the time Stretch untangled his limbs enough to stand, all the kids were crowding into the aisle, the siren call of candy irresistible.

“Hold on a second!” One of the teachers at the front called and reluctant silence fell. Even Stretch quailed a little under that stern look, even if Teach up there was about a foot shorter than him. “What are the rules?”

“Stay with your chaperone.” Came an uneven recitation and she nodded.

“That’s right. Can I get chaperones to raise their hands?”

There was a title Stretch never expected to have. Hands rose overhead. Stretch shrugged and raised his too, pressing his palm to the roof of the bus. His kiddos giggled and, yeah, he was pretty sure he was hard to miss. But hey, he had be a team player or he wouldn’t get invited to prom.

“Very good. And the second rule?”

“Be on your best behavior!”

“Be on your best behavior, right!” She nodded, pleased. “We are here representing all Monsters, and we need to be on our best behaviors. Now, let’s go, single file, no pushing, and you will all stand with your chaperone when we get off the bus.”

“hear that, guys?” Stretch muttered to his group. “try not to lose me in the crowd.”

They all giggled softly, earning a look from the teacher that Stretch returned with pure innocence. He didn’t think she bought it, but that was fair. He hadn’t really been able to pull innocent off since he’d lost his stripes, probably not even before that.

His first step off the bus was met with a flurry of flashes and shouts. Stretch blinked at the various people standing around with cameras, trying to cram in closer to get a picture and calling his name. Humans in uniforms were standing in front of the wooden barricades holding them back and that was the only thing keeping them from scrambling over and probably right into his lap.

Oh, great, the press’d caught wind. Lovely. Probably even been invited but a reminder would’ve been nice, especially since Stretch was gonna end up with his picture in the paper again.

Stretch plastered on his cheeky public grin and waved, holding his kiddos back with one arm. He leaned it and said to them, low, “big smiles, okay, guys? we got this, just follow me around to the other side of the bus.”

Oscar was in the lead, his eyes wide beneath his mask, and he nodded, pinning on a wide grin that didn’t quite meet those anxious eyes. Stretch kept up his own smile as they filed off the bus, guiding them around the front of the bus and out of sight. 

“good job,” Stretch told them, heaving an exaggerated sigh of relief and wiping away imaginary sweat. “when it comes to the press, you gotta keep smiling and keep walking, got it?”

“Yes, Mister Stretch Papyrus Sir,” came in a chorus and Stretch shook his head, scruffing a rough hand over a couple costumed heads.

“you’re all brats,” Stretch told them affectionately and they giggled, empty candy bags rustling.

The parking lot was closed off on the other sides, the press could only look in from the entrance. That had Edge’s influence all over it; enough of this would hit the news and social media to make the higher ups happy, but without stressing the kids out with too much attention. 

Directly in front of them were rows of cars parked around in a sort of maze, their trunks open and even from here Stretch could see the buckets of candy, the decoration and lights, and the faint sound of ‘thriller’ playing out from an open window.

The kids were already shuffling their feet, eyes on the prize. “soon, guys, let everyone get here first.”

Even as he spoke from around the bus came a roar from the gathered crowd and another vehicle pulled in through the gate. This one was more of a van and was painted with the happy faces of children and the YMCA logo.

That’d be Edge’s group then and Stretch was shuffling as much as the kids by the time the door opened. Edge came out first, dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, which was practically a costume for him, anyway. Despite Stretch’s well-thought out Powerpoint on why Edge should dress as Santa, (since he wouldn’t do Sally, seriously, total spoilsport), in the end, Edge pointed out he’d be a skeleton dressed as Santa, which would technically make them both Jack Skellington and that was more cliché than he could stomach in one serving.

Meh, whatever, and Stretch had to admit, this was the first time he’d ever seen Edge in a YMCA volunteer sweatshirt. Not a bad look on him, especially since he wore those jeans tight, damn, baby.

He caught sight of Stretch almost immediately, but his attention was focused inside the van. Lip reading wasn’t exactly workable for skeletons, but Stretch didn’t need to hear what he was saying to his group to know exactly what it was. Stay with your group, best behavior, yadda yadda. Been there, heard it, keep the t-shirt, he had plenty.

Edge backed away from the door and kids started coming out like the ghoulish version of a clown car. Not that Stretch knew what to expect from Edge’s kids, despite hearing about them often. They looked pretty much like the Human-flavor of his own group. Ghosties, ghoulies, a couple skeletons and Stretch was pretty sure he recognized Edge’s hand with their makeup.

They followed Edge across the lot with the same uncomfortable smiles as Stretch’s minions, until both groups stood face to face.

There was a moment of silence, each group eying the other warily. Stretch swallowed, a certain tightness surrounding his soul. Press he could handle with a careless smile and keeping the language to PG-13. But these kids meant something to Edge; he spent time with them every week, sometimes helped their families with paperwork for different kinds of assistance, got the boys into special programs. He knew every one of them by name, their parents’ names, and whoever was listed on their pickup cards. A couple of them he’d known longer than Stretch and Edge had been together, they were _important_ to him and—

“You gonna say hi to your boyfriend or what?” From the shortest kid in Edge’s the group, one of the skeletons. His grin was far more honest now than he’d worn walking past the press.

Edge ignored the rising laughter. “Excuse you, he is my husband, and yes, I am. Hello, love.”

“heya.” Stretch waggled his fingers at them all, “how’s it going, guys.”

“He’s real tall.” From one of the other Human children, this one dressed as a robot, if you assumed that scientists decided aluminum foil was suitable construction material.

“So am I,” Edge said, pointed out.

“Not as tall as Stretch,” Oscar said doubtfully and a murmur of agreement went through both groups.

Stretch only grinned smugly at Edge’s exasperated sigh. “Yes, thank you, Stretch does have height superiority over me, and little else.”

A gleeful ‘oooooooh’ went through their miniature crowd and Stretch barked a laugh. “i do love to hear your sweet-talk, babe.”

But he couldn’t help tensing as the small skeleton in Edge’s group stepped closer, peering at Oscar. All of these children had enough HP to withstand some force or they wouldn’t have been allowed to come, but Humans often didn’t understand how easily their intent could hurt. Oscar knew firsthand, knew from his mother being in the hospital, and he was familiar with Antwan and Jeff, and yet—

Oscar’s skeleton mask didn’t quite conceal all his fur and his ears poked through his hood, far too sensitive to be pinned down for any length of time. He stood wide-eyed as the Human skeleton gave him a thorough once-over.

“Cool costume,” said the Human child, finally and his painted grin widened. “Wanna get some candy?”

“Yeah!” Oscar said excitedly, and both of them dashed towards the open trunks, the others trailing behind with hoots of laughter. 

“No running, you’ll trip!” Edge called after them. They slowed to what might arguably be called a fast trot, candy bags raised as the treat givers started passing out handfuls. “Come on, let’s catch them before they get too far ahead.”

“I love you,” Stretch said abruptly. Because it was true. Because Edge worked so hard for this to make all these kids happy. Because he needed to hear Edge say it back and he did, with a soft smile of his own.

“I love you, too.” Edge started to take his hand and blinked when Stretch drew away.

“yeah, okay, love and hugs, let’s catch up, i need to get my own treats.”

Edge’s confusion morphed into a pretty amazing amount of horror. “You are not.”

Stretch blew a raspberry at him and hurried after the kids. “heck yeah, i am! brought a bag and everything!” 

Edge closed his sockets, pained, but he didn’t say a word as Stretch shook out a bright orange plastic bag decorated with grinning jack o’lanterns. 

The line went pretty quick, a Human dropping generous handfuls of candy into every bag, exclaiming over costumes as each child chirped a thank you.

She paused as Stretch stepped up.

“trick or treat!” Stretch offered with what he was positive was a winsome smile, giving his empty bag a little shake.

Winsome didn’t seem to be winning today. She eyed him up and down and said, dryly, “You’re pretty tall for a kid.”

“He is, indeed,” Edge agreed and Stretch could feel his grin going a little strained, hopeful imaginings of candy winging away. “But he’s never been trick or treating before.”

It was like turning on her sympathy switch. Instantly, the woman softened, and her smile was filled with same compassion that likely filled her soul, “Of course. Well, then, let me give you your first trick or treat candy.”

Into his bag went the same generous handful that the other kids got. Stretch beamed at her and hopefully his greedy delight was to be expected, “thanks!”

“Wonderful costume,” she called as they followed the kiddos to the next car. 

After that, it was damn easy. A couple pieces of candy always called for their brethren to join them and despite the double-takes and a couple bemused smiles from the Monster volunteers, no one questioned Stretch’s trick or treats. By the last car, all the kids had bulging sacks, with guilty chocolate smears on their faces or sucker sticks poking from their mouths. 

Most of them were digging through their bags for more and Stretch crouched down to join them, pawing through the brightly colored wrappers like Scrooge checking his gold.

A presence at his side made Stretch look over to see the short skeleton peering into his bag. “Aw, you got a full size Reese’s! Peanut butter cups are the best!”

Hmmm. “i’ll trade you for two charms suckers,” Stretch offered. The kid goggled at him and immediately began digging through his bag. That was all it took for other kids to crowd in and the trade wars to begin. Negotiations were fierce and while Stretch had grown up bartering on the streets of New New home for all kind of stuff, these kids proved to be shrewd dealers. In no time, most of his chocolate was traded away for suckers and Stretch was pretty sure he’d earned that title for himself.

Eh, that was fine. Those caramel apple ones were worth the price.

That was Edge’s cue to step up and announce, “If you’re all quite finished, it’s time to get back on the buses.”

The cool night air was filled with disappointed groans. Monster and Human children alike hastily exchanged phone numbers and online handles, getting a last few selfies in while Edge and Stretch watched.

Stretch was blinking pretty damn hard by the end, watching all that friendship in the making. Looked like costumes and candy were a universal language. 

As Edge began herding his group back to the van, Stretch remembered that snark about his height and called out to him, “see you at home, mama bear!”

The explosion of laughter from his group was as sweet as the sucker in his mouth, and Stretch grinned smugly around the stick as Edge turned back to him and said with dark promise, “You certainly will.”

Oh, yeah, that could mean so many terrible, wonderful things. Worth it.

His own group began to wander forlornly in the direction of the bus, lugging their bags along. 

“Mister Stretch Papyrus Sir?”

He looked down at Oscar. “yeah, kiddo? did you have fun?”

The kid’s mask was tucked into his bag with his candy, those huge damn eyes of his hopeful. He nodded solemnly. “Yes. Will we get to play with them again?”

That was the dream, wasn’t it? Humans and Monsters together, having fun and being friends, and kids who cared more about the costume than underneath it. 

Felt like it was taking a long damn time to get there, but this seemed like a pretty decent start.

Stretch lightly tweaked the end of one long ear. “i hope so, kiddo. c’mon, let’s head out.”

Both of them paused and smiled gamely for the press before climbing on the bus, Stretch struggling to lower himself back into his torture cube for the ride home.

It was all good, the drive was pretty short and Edge would be heading home as soon as he dropped off his group.

That gave Stretch a little time to prep before his honey arrived. Edge was probably thinking of a trick right now as payback, but the first one home was the one who had a chance to bait the trap.

Stretch settled into his seat with a sigh, his full candy bag nestled into his lap. There were plans to be made and Edge might be better at designing traps, but Stretch also had a claim to the name Papyrus; he knew a thing or three. 

Besides, he was the damn Pumpkin King. Tonight was his night and by the end of it, they were both gonna have a treat.

-finis-


End file.
